More Information

Denise Lee's family settles lawsuit for $1.25 million

Nathan Lee widower of Denise Lee testifies at his wife's wrongful death trial Wednesday in Punta Gorda. Lee settled his suit against the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office on Friday.

HERALD-TRIBUNE ARCHIVE / 2012

By ROBERT ECKHART

Published: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 3:05 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 5:21 p.m.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY - The family of Denise Amber Lee agreed to a $1.25 million settlement of the wrongful death lawsuit they filed against the sheriff's office.

About $500,000 will go to pay legal fees and other associated costs, leaving about $200,000 for Lee's widower, Nathan Lee, about $200,000 for each of their two children, and about $200,000 for Denise Lee's parents, Richard and Susan Goff, court records show.

"I'm just very thankful for all the support from my friends and my family and my attorneys," Nathan Lee said on Tuesday. "It's just been a really long process. I feel justice has been served and I'm glad it's over."

The settlement was announced in open court last month after one week of testimony in what was expected to be a two-week trial. Though the trial stopped immediately, the amount of the settlement was withheld by attorneys for the Sheriff's Office, and by the sheriff's administration.

A copy of the proposed settlement agreement was filed in court last week.

Denise Lee, 21, was abducted from the couple's North Port home and killed in January 2008. The crux of the lawsuit was a 911 call from another driver who saw Lee screaming in the back of a Camaro on U.S. 41. The call could have helped deputies pinpoint the location of Lee and her killer, Michael King, but was mishandled by dispatchers.

Under the terms of the settlement, the sheriff's office admits no fault and the bulk of the money will come from the sheriff's insurers, Willis North America, the Florida Sheriff's Risk Management Fund and The Hunt Group.

The settlement gives some relief to a family that has reeled since the death of Denise Lee.

Nathan Lee and the boys have moved four times. They now live with the Goffs in Englewood.

Nathan Lee commutes 160 miles round trip to his job as a manager of a Best Buy store in Brandon.

"I'm still trying to put all the pieces together and consider what I'm going to do with the rest of my life," Lee said. "But right now I'm pretty comfortable working at Best Buy and living with them."

During the trial, he said he felt he could not leave Englewood because his parents and the Goffs help daily with the boys.

The eldest, Noah, is 6 years old. Adam, who is 5, started school last week.

"The biggest focus of this whole thing was on the boys and making sure that the boys were going to be taken care of and not have limitations on their opportunities," Lee said. "I want them to be able to go to any college they want."

The net proceeds of the settlement — $750,000 — is about the amount that consultants hired by the Lee family had estimated as the total economic impact of her death on the family.

The settlement was announced in open court the day after two former dispatchers testified about what went wrong the day Denise Lee was abducted.

<p><em>CHARLOTTE COUNTY</em> - The family of Denise Amber Lee agreed to a $1.25 million settlement of the wrongful death lawsuit they filed against the sheriff's office.</p><p>About $500,000 will go to pay legal fees and other associated costs, leaving about $200,000 for Lee's widower, Nathan Lee, about $200,000 for each of their two children, and about $200,000 for Denise Lee's parents, Richard and Susan Goff, court records show.</p><p>"I'm just very thankful for all the support from my friends and my family and my attorneys," Nathan Lee said on Tuesday. "It's just been a really long process. I feel justice has been served and I'm glad it's over."</p><p>The settlement was announced in open court last month after one week of testimony in what was expected to be a two-week trial. Though the trial stopped immediately, the amount of the settlement was withheld by attorneys for the Sheriff's Office, and by the sheriff's administration.</p><p>A copy of the proposed settlement agreement was filed in court last week.</p><p>Denise Lee, 21, was abducted from the couple's North Port home and killed in January 2008. The crux of the lawsuit was a 911 call from another driver who saw Lee screaming in the back of a Camaro on U.S. 41. The call could have helped deputies pinpoint the location of Lee and her killer, Michael King, but was mishandled by dispatchers.</p><p>Under the terms of the settlement, the sheriff's office admits no fault and the bulk of the money will come from the sheriff's insurers, Willis North America, the Florida Sheriff's Risk Management Fund and The Hunt Group.</p><p>The settlement gives some relief to a family that has reeled since the death of Denise Lee.</p><p>Nathan Lee and the boys have moved four times. They now live with the Goffs in Englewood.</p><p>Nathan Lee commutes 160 miles round trip to his job as a manager of a Best Buy store in Brandon. </p><p>"I'm still trying to put all the pieces together and consider what I'm going to do with the rest of my life," Lee said. "But right now I'm pretty comfortable working at Best Buy and living with them."</p><p>During the trial, he said he felt he could not leave Englewood because his parents and the Goffs help daily with the boys. </p><p>The eldest, Noah, is 6 years old. Adam, who is 5, started school last week.</p><p>"The biggest focus of this whole thing was on the boys and making sure that the boys were going to be taken care of and not have limitations on their opportunities," Lee said. "I want them to be able to go to any college they want."</p><p>The net proceeds of the settlement — $750,000 — is about the amount that consultants hired by the Lee family had estimated as the total economic impact of her death on the family.</p><p>The settlement was announced in open court the day after two former dispatchers testified about what went wrong the day Denise Lee was abducted.</p>